An El Paso Independent School District internal audit report found that the former principal of Whitaker Elementary took personal gifts from employees, encouraged them to use "in-service" absences to leave campus without using personal leave and misused public funds on parties.

The principal, Mary Elvia Rodriguez, resigned from the district at the end of January, so further administrative action is irrelevant, the report says. But the EPISD has reported Rodriguez to the State Board for Educator Certification for code of ethics violations.

The report found she actively sought gifts from employees, even reminding them about Boss's Day over the campus public announcement system.

REPORTER

Andrew Kreighbaum

"One employee stated she overheard Mrs. Rodriguez say she wanted a Coach bag and 'not crap' from her campus secret Santa," according to the report.

The El Paso Times could not reach Rodriguez for comment.

Among other allegations investigated by the internal audit office, Rodriguez was accused of hiring an employee who was related to the then-associate superintendent for elementary schools. Investigators could not validate those claims but the report found comments she made to other district employees created the perception she was influenced by the relationship.

Rodriguez also discussed and attempted to interfere with the investigation, which was finalized last month, according to report.

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Various violations were alleged in anonymous letters and through the district's internal audit hotline, according to the report.

Based on interviews with campus employees, investigators found Rodriguez allowed staff to use "in-service" absences in 2011 and 2012 so employees could leave work early and avoid using personal leave or schedule instruction with individual students ahead of testing days.

Counting those absences as "in-service," or as training elsewhere in the district, amounted to using public funds on fraudulent activity, the report said. It also recommended administrative punishment for several employees who admitted to miscounting absences from work.

Rodriguez spent more than $1,900 from campus activity funds during the fall 2012 semester for a Christmas potluck and for Christmas gifts for students and staff members. Two different employees reported she asked them to falsify records of uses for items purchased with those funds.

She also encouraged employees not to forget her during the holiday season. Staff members confirmed in interviews with investigators that Rodriguez was given purses, wallets, gift cards and -- on an almost daily basis -- Starbucks coffee. The report did not confirm that any preferential treatment was given as a result of the gifts but said perceptions of favoritism existed. Accepting the gifts also appeared to violate board policy, the report said.

The audit report found Rodriguez told two employees to falsify documents submitted for the internal audit investigation, including detailed instructions to make up lesson plans using food purchased with school funds.

She also twice spoke to employees about the ongoing investigation, violating a confidentiality agreement, according to the report.

The audit report mentions but does not address separate allegations that Rodriguez changed answers on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test. An investigation was opened by the district's department of research and evaluation into alleged cheating.

Assistant Superintendent for Research and Evaluation James Steinhauser said any allegation involving a test security issue would be referred immediately to the Texas Education Agency. The district's testing director would then conduct an investigation into the allegation before reporting back to the agency. TEA spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe said the case was reviewed and closed by the agency's test security team.

Online records kept by the State Board of Educator Certification show Rodriguez voluntarily surrendered her certification as a supervisor and mid-management administrator as of July, a move that could be taken to avoid disciplinary hearings.

In addition to referring Rodriguez to the board of certification, the district provided a corrective action plan for the campus that included administrative action for the employees who falsified documents and advising Whitaker staff of district policies concerning gifts.

Andrew Kreighbaum covers the El Paso Independent School District. He may be reached at 546-6127.